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HERE’S THE
SCOOP
Kidsfest is
Saturday
The City of Barnesville
will host Kidsfest Satur
day, April 23 from 1-3 p.m.
at Myles-Wimberly Park.
Children will be able to
meet police officers and
firefighters and get an up
close look at a fire truck
and the newest police
cars.
There will be a bouncy
house, hot dogs and ice
cream.
For parents there will
be information available
on local services like
the Barnesville Library’s
summer reading program
and Family Connections
Collaborative.
For more informa
tion, call the E.P. Roberts
Center at 770.358.3311 or
Bethel Baptist Church at
770.358.1720.
Tobias Raynie is
Eagle Scout
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Perkins Road drug raid
marred by suicide of fugitive
WALTER GEIGER
news@barnesville.com
A drug raid on a home at
132 Perkins Rd. here April
12 resulted in the suicide of
a 53-year-old High Falls man
whom deputies did not know
was at the residence upon their
arrival.
According to sheriff Brad
White, the warrant service team
arrived at the home, which is
owned by Nancy McElreath,
to serve a search warrant. A
number of people ran from the
home. Seven were arrested and
a quantity of meth was seized
along with firearms and drug
paraphernalia. One female was
apprehended as she ran toward
a truck at the rear of the home.
Deputies heard an explosion
that they originally thought was
a flash bang being deployed.
When it became apparent no
flash bang had been used, they
returned to the truck to find Joe
Larry Brewer, Jr. inside with a
self-inflicted gunshot wound to
the head. Although a heartbeat
was initially detected, he died
at the scene.
Brewer was on federal proba
tion and had cut off his ankle
monitor two days earlier. He
was the subject of federal war
rants. “The word on the street
was he had gone to the house
to kill the guy who snitched on
him and then he was going to
kill himself rather than go back
to prison,” sheriff White said.
Brewer had served three
stints in Georgia prisons, spend
ing five and a half years behind
bars from 2003-2010. He had
three convictions for posses
sion of meth, two for posses
sion of meth with intent to
distribute, one for sale of meth
and one for DU1 during that
period.
The Georgia Bureau of
Investigation worked the scene
at the request of sheriff White.
“1 called them in due to the
fact he shot himself while we
were executing the search war
rant. The house had multiple
security cameras and one was
pointed right at the truck. The
GBI has that DVR as evidence,”
the sheriff said.
Ralph Shane McElreath,
48, lived at the home. He was
arrested and charged with
possession of a Schedule 11
controlled substance and traf
ficking in meth. He was denied
bond at a preliminary hearing
April 14 and remains in jail.
Jessica Suzanne Glover,
29, of 426 E St. in Thomaston
was charged with possession
of meth and possession of
a Schedule 1 controlled sub
stance. Her bond was set at
$16,000 by chief magistrate Paul
Kunst.
Kourtney Leigh Dye, 31,
of 220 Crave Rd. in Forsyth
was charged with possession
of meth. Her bond was set at
$8000.
Briana Khrystene Norton, 33,
of 125 Johnson St. in Barnesville
was charged with possession
of meth. Her bond was set at
KNIGHT FIELDS BREWER
$8,000.
James Grady McDaniel, 43,
of 227 Warner Rd. in Barnes
ville was charged with posses
sion of meth and possession
of a firearm by a first offender
probationer. His bond was set
at $30,000.
Jeremy Ryan Knight, 26, of
161 Shawnee Trail in Milner
was charged with possession
of meth and possession of an
illegal sawed off shotgun. His
bond was set at $13,000.
Jason Tyler Fields, 29 of
835 Atwater Rd. in Thomaston
was charged with possession
of meth. His bond was set at
$8,000.
Coroner Clay Tillery re
ported Brewer’s body was not
sent to the crime lab for au
topsy. “My information is the
deceased was living in a camper
behind the residence where the
warrant was served,” Tillery
concluded.
PHOTO: DONNA FLOURNOY
Easter fun downtown
Alleged child
molester indicted by
federal grand jury
A 47-year-old
Barnesville man
was indicted in US
District Court in
Macon April 13 on
multiple child sex
charges.
Marty Allen Ki- KINARD
nard was indicted
on charges of production of
child pornography, distribution
of child pornography and pos
session of child pornography.
Kinard will be turned over to
US Marshals.
Kinard was arrested here on
June 6, 2021 and charged with
two counts child molestation,
aggravated child molestation
and seven counts of sexual
exploitation of children. The
child molestation charges are
still pending in Lamar superior
court.
“The Barnesville Police De
partment, with guidance from
the district attorney’s office,
will prosecute to the highest
level those committing such
crimes,” chief Craig Cooper
said.
Capt. A1 Moltrum of BPD
testified against Kinard before
the federal grand jury.
The community Easter egg hunt in downtown Barnesville Saturday drew a huge crowd of children and adults
who spent quality time with the Easter Bunny. Pictured with some chalk art at Depot Plaza are Mariyah Zavalla (left)
and Alaya Prince.
FedEx driver jailed after allegedly
delivering more than just packages
A 32-year-old Macon man who worked as a Federal
Express driver delivering packages locally was busted
April 11 after a citizen reported suspicious activity that
appeared to be a drug deal going down
in the parking lot of a local store.
The FedEx truck was later stopped
at the Red Apple store on Atlanta Street
and officers detected a strong odor of
marijuana upon approaching it. A prob
able cause search turned up a quantity
of marijuana - some of it packaged for
sale, digital scales and other drug para
phernalia.
Melvin Tremel Willis of 181 Kitchens
Rd. in Macon was arrested and his blood drawn for
toxicology testing. He is charged with possession of
marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug
related objects, failure of driver to exercise due care,
DU1 drugs and failure to maintain lane. He has since
been released on a $17,000 bond.
A FedEx supervisor sent two drivers here to split the
load on the truck and get the packages out as fast as
possible.
WILLIS
The contraband that was discovered inside
the FedEx truck driven by Melvin Willis.
Judge Bill Fears
to handle criminal
docket Monday
The following criminal cases
will be heard in Lamar superior
court April 25 with Judge Bill
Fears presiding.
Jerome McFadden, entering
an auto.
Jatori Lamond Davis, flee
ing and attempting to elude,
possession of marijuana and
reckless driving.
Michael Charles Hudgins,
trafficking in meth, possession
of marijuana, terroristic threats
and acts, theft by receiving sto
len property and seven counts
possession of a firearm by a
first offender probationer.
Troy Guy Peacock, traffick
ing in meth and possession of
marijuana.
Travis Lael Mercer, three
counts aggravated assault, two
counts possession of a firearm
during the commission of a
felony and possession of a fire
arm by a convicted felon.
©2022 THE HERALD GAZETTE, BARNESVILLE, LAMAR COUNTY, GA 30204, 770.358.NEWS
